The Mystery of Lawlessness

Why do some earthly governments oppose God’s law? Why do they consider God an enemy of the State? God gave us His laws for our good. Stephen the martyr revealed that Biblical law was given to people by God’s angels. God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He who loves fulfills God’s law. [1]

Something’s wrong when a society considers God’s commands offensive. The Bible says we love the children of God when we love God and carry out His commands. [2] It is when we throw off His commands that people get hurt.

“The mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only He who is keeping down now [will hinder] -- till He may be out of the way, and then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth and shall destroy with the manifestation of His presence.” [3]

Do we want anarchy? Do we want unfettered evil? Do we want the Lord to depart from our country? Do we want the Lord to stop holding back the forces of evil?

In Jeremiah’s days, God’s people no longer wanted to obey His commands. They wanted to be free to choose whatever behavior they preferred. The problem was that evildoers felt free to destroy the godly people in the nation.

As a result, Jeremiah’s nation became dark and evil. Finally, God gave them up to the King of Babylon. They lived under this cruel pagan king for seventy years. It was terrible.

I pray Americans will not have to live under the rule of a cruel tyrant for seventy years before returning to God. Paul said that when people refuse to know God, refuse to give Him thanks, and refuse to give Him glory, He hands them over to futility. To darkened hearts! The increase of sexual impurity and shameful lusts is a sign of God’s judgment not His blessing on a nation. When people curse the name of God, refuse to repent, and refuse to give Him glory, it is not a question of if they will experience plagues and suffering but a question of when. [4]

Do we want to live in a dirty aquarium? Fish die in murky water. “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.” [5] Let’s not compromise. Let’s ask God to help us clean up our country.

What can wash away our sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. There is no other name than the name of Jesus for salvation. Peter said to repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and for the gift of the Holy Spirit. [6]

So why do some rulers oppose faith in Jesus Christ? Why would anyone oppose the laws of God given to us by angels for our good? Could it be that their minds have been alienated from Christ by the devil? This is the mystery of lawlessness.

The Holy Spirit has been saying to me to turn from sin for the sake of love. Sin has bad consequences. I want to avoid bad consequences. But even more so, I want to love the Lord! Obedience to God’s commands is our Lord’s love language.

A greater mystery than the mystery of lawlessness is God’s love for us sinners. We have all sinned and fallen short of His glory, and yet He loves us. In Jeremiah’s day, God’s heart was broken over the punishment of the wicked. [7] God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but that all would repent and be saved.

[1] Deuteronomy 6:24; Acts 7:53; Psalm 119:105; Romans 13:8
[2] 1 John 5:2
[3] 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8
[4] Romans 1:21, 24, 26
[5] Proverbs 25:26
[6] Hebrews 9:22; Acts 4:12; Acts 2:38
[7] Jeremiah 23:9